Biography
Who is Axel Witsel?
Early life and career beginnings
Axel Witsel Laurent Angel Lambert Witsel was born in Liège, Belgium. He began his football path at his hometown club Standard Liège. During his time there, he made 183 appearances and scored 42 goals while winning five domestic trophies. In 2008, he received the Belgian Golden Shoe award for his performances on the pitch.
As an eighteen year old, he played a major role in helping Standard Liège win the Belgian League title. He formed a young midfield partnership alongside other talents like Steven Defour and Marouane Fellaini. During a match against Anderlecht, a heavy tackle on Marcin Wasilewski led to a red card, a suspension, and widespread media attention.
Playing career in Portugal and Russia
Axel moved to Portugal to join Benfica on a five-year contract in July 2011. He scored important goals in the Champions League play-offs to help his team reach the group stages. He also helped Benfica secure the Taça da Liga title, earning the Man of the Match award in the final against Gil Vicente.
In September 2012, Axel transferred to Russian club Zenit Saint Petersburg for a substantial transfer fee. He scored crucial goals in both domestic league matches and the UEFA Champions League. During his spell in Russia, he won the Russian Premier League title and the Russian Super Cup.
Later club career
After a brief spell in China with Tianjin Tianhai, Axel returned to European football by signing with German club Borussia Dortmund in August 2018. He scored on his debut with an equalizing goal in stoppage time and followed it up with an overhead kick on his Bundesliga debut. With Dortmund, he won both the DFL-Supercup and the DFB-Pokal.
Later in his career, Axel moved to Spain to play for Atlético Madrid, where manager Diego Simeone deployed him as a central defender in a back three. He later had spells with Girona and French side Nice, continuing his long career as a professional association football player.
International career with Belgium
Axel made his senior international debut for the Belgium men's national football team in March 2008 during a friendly match against Morocco, where he also scored his first international goal. He reached a major milestone by earning his 100th cap for his country in November 2018.
He represented Belgium at multiple editions of the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championship, helping the team finish in third place at the tournament. Over his career, he accumulated 140 total appearances for the national team before concluding his international career.
Birthday and age
Axel Witsel was born on January 12, 1989, which makes Axel 37 years old today. That birthday falls under the Capricorn sign. Axel shares the date with 65 other famous people.
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